Magnetic dart game



y 1949- H. J. VOLMAN 2,477,531

MAGNETIC DART GAME Filed Aug. 28, 1948 Patented July 26, 1945 UNITEDSTATES PATENTOFFICE 2,477,531 MAGNETIC DART GAME Harold J. Volman,Cicero, 111., assignor to Toy Enterprises of America,

corporation of Illinois Application August 28, 1948, Serial No. 46,634

12 Claims.

The present invention relates to games, an object of the invention beingto provide a new and improved game simulating a dart game but capable ofbeing played with blunt faced missiles so that the hazards incident toconventional dart ames are eliminated.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a new and improvedgame provided with a target of magnetically susceptible material andmissiles each having a permanently magnetized head which has sufficientmagnetic energy to cause a missile to be sustained n the target when itis thrown toward the target and strikes the same.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a new and improvedmissile for a game of the character set forth in the preceding objects Vwhich is held to a target solely as a result of the magnetic attractionbetween the target and the missile.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a new andimproved missile as above set forth which is adapted to be freelypropelled through the air and which has improved flight stabilizing orguiding means for maintaining the head of the missile foremost duringflight.

More specifically, the invention relates to a game including a metallictarget having a flat face, which target is formed of magneticallysusceptible metal and the face of which target is provided with targetindicia thereon at which one or more projectiles may be thrown, eachpro- Jectile comprising a permanent magnet having a flat face, togetherwith means such as a feather or a loop or the like for directing theprojectile so that the flat face travels forwardly so that when thrownthe flat face of the projectile will magnetically be attracted by andadhere to the flat face of the target.

These and other objects, advantages and capabilities of the inventionwill become apparent from the following description and accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. lis a perspective view of the game of the present invention, set upfor playing'with a diagrammatic showing of the manner in which aprojectile or missile may be propelled toward the target;

Fig. 2 is a vertical crosssectional view of the target and stand;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the stand for supporting the target ofmy game;

Fig. 4 is a front end view of the preferred form of missile orprojectile on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary diametrical cross-sec Inc., Chicago, 111., a

2 tional view on an enlarged scale of a missile on the target, taken onthe line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a modified form of missile; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the missile shown in Fig; 6indicating diagrammatically a manner in which a stabilizing feather maybe secured to the head of a missile.

This application is a continuation in part of my copendingapplication'Serial No. 739,697, filed April 5, 1947, and entitled Game,now abandoned.

Referring now to the drawing, it will be seen that the improved game ofthe present invention includes a target Ill, a stand 2 for holding thetarget in substantially upright position, and a missile H! which isadapted to be propelled toward the target and is sustained or heldthereon magnetically upon impact with the target. The target Ill, whichis formed from relatively thin magnetically susceptible sheet metal, maybe of any convenient size, for example, approximately one foot square.Preferably the .peripheral edges of the target are flanged or beaded asindicated at It in Figs. 1 and 2 to provide smooth edges. The areawithin the beaded edge l6 forms a fiat playing surface, all'portions ofwhich preferably should be in. a common plane, and this face may beprovided with any desired target indicia. In the present instance, whichis purely for the purpose of illustration, the target is provided withtop lettering l8 including the words Bull's-Eye and a centrally disposedtarget consisting of an inner circle or bulls-eye 20 and a plurality ofconcentric rings 22 surrounding the bulls-eye. The circle and rings maybe contrastingly colored and may be marked with numbers indicating thescoring value to be assigned to each. If desired, the corners of thetarget outside the outer ring may be provided with other suitableindicia of any desired nature, or with a statement of the rules orinstructions for playing the game. Since the target is made ofmagnetically susceptible sheet metal, the opposite sides thereof may beprovided with diiferent target indicia, that described above beingmerely illustrative.

This target is supported in substantially upright position, as indicatedin Figs. 1 and 2, by means of the stand l2, best seen in Fig. 3. Thestand is formed from relatively malleable wire rod to provide ahorizontally extending back rest portion 24 and easel-like supportingstructure on each end thereof in a plane normal thereto. Each of theeasel-like supporting structures includes a leg 25 extending in aninclined plane rearwardly "feathers.

from the back rest portion ;24, and a foot 28 extending horizontaltyforwardly from the leg 26. The feet on the twe'easel-lilie structureslie in the same horizontal plane so that the stand may be set up on thefloor or on a table top.

At their forwardgends the feet terminate in upwardly projecting stoplugs30 and preferably the feet 28 are: somewhat longer than the legs 26so that these iugs 30 will be positioned a slight distance forward ofthe back rest portion 24 when the stand is setup for use. As a result,the lower front edge of a target may be engaged behind the stop lugs 30while the back side of the target engages the back rest portion 24 at a'pomt somewhat above the bottom edge of the target. By reason of thefact that the feet 28 are somewhat longer than the legs 26, the targetit is supported in a slightly rearwardiy inclined plane, as best seen inFig. 2, and thus is more stable than if it were supported in a verticalplane.

,Another advantage of the stand described above arises from the factthatit may be made of malleable wire or rod and thus is'easily formed.Furthermore, since it is malleable; it may be cc]- lapsed for packagingin relatively thin packages by bending the angularly disposed legs 26downwardly toward the feet 28. Subsequently, when the game is to be;used, the parts may readily be bent to the position shown in Fig; 2.

One of the features of the present invention is the improved? missile orprojectile which I have devised for use in conjunction with the targetabove described. The preferred form of missile disclosed in Figs. 2, 4and 5, has a generally disc-shaped header body 32 of magnetically susceptible metal and stabilizing rudder means 34 for guiding the missilein flight extending axially rearwardly from the rear face of the head.In Figs. 4 and it will be noted that the front side of the head isprovided with a diametrically extending slot or kerf 36 of a depthapproximately half the thickness of the head. Thus the head is providedwith diametrically opposite generally segmental shaped fiat forwardtraces 38 and 40 '(Fig. 4), and because of the conformation of the headthese faces acquire opposite polarity when the head is magnetized. Ineffect, the head becomes a horseshoe magnet with its opposite poles atthe opposite faces 38 and 40, and the flux between these poles will bethrough the target when the front of the head strikes the target.Consequently a strong magnetic attraction between the missile and targetis established. These pole faces also form. a flat impact surface fordirect contacting engagement with the target in a manner which will bedescribed subsequently.

.The stabilizing rudder means 34, previously mentioned, preferablyconsists of a plurality of Three feathers, arranged as shown, have beenfound to give satisfactory results. At one of their ends the quills ofthese feathers are fixed in an axially extending opening 42 (Fig, 5.- inthe head 32 by gluing the same therein with a suitable adhesive. Theforward ends of the quills should of course be short of the plane of thepole faces 38 and 40 on the head so that they do not interfere with thedirect contacting engagement between the pole faces 38 and 4e and thetarget.

When a stabilizing rudder means of the type above described is used, itseffect upon the missile, upon release of the latter from a propellingmeans, such asthe hand, is to immediately right the missile so that thefront side of its head with the impact or pole faces 38 and 40 thereonis Suitable rules may be provided in accordance l missile on the targetat the point of impact and cause the missile to adhere to the targetuntil manually removed.

Any desired number of missiles may be used with a single game and thestabilizing feathers may be variously colored to assist inidentification by different players in computing the score.

with the type of target used which, in addition to a bull's-eye, maydepict any type of scene at which a projectile may be thrown, as, forexample, a fort or a warship, or a plane.

A modifled iorm of missile is disclosed in Figs. 6 and I wherein theprojectile is shown as consisting of a permanently magnetized head inthe form of a generally rectangular shaped block 44 having a relativelybroad, flat front face 46. On its rear face; the block preferably has asheet metal clip 48 (Fig. 7) soldered or welded thereto at a centralposition. The corners of this clip are folded along the dotted linesupon themselves so as to embrace the quill of a feather 50 which forms astabilizing rudder for the missile. The

feather is thus permanently secured to the head of the missile, as shownin Fig. 6. ijhe effect of this efeather upon the course of the missilein flight is generally the same as that previously described. Amagnetized head of the type above described amounts in effect to a barmagnet with its two poles at opposite ends of the head. The fiuxlinesbetween the poles will of course be through the magnetically susceptibletarget when the head impinges upon the target, and, as a resuit, thehead will be made to adhere to the target.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a safe game for children toplay because the missiles are not pointed like a game of darts.Furthermore,- since the missiles do not have a point, they will notstick in walls, furniture of other objects if they miss the target, andthus will not cause damage accidentally because the head or bodies arelight enough so that even if the missile strikes a piece of furniture,for example, it will not put a dent in the finish.

Obviously the invention is not limited to the specific details ofconstruction disclosed herein but is capable of other modifications andchanges without departing from the spirit and scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A projectile adapted to be freely propelled through the air at atarget of magnetically susceptible material having a fiat playingsurface, said projectile comprising a relatively thin generallydisc-shaped permanently magnetized body having a slotted forwardimpactface defining symmetrically arranged relatively large fiat areas ofopposite polarity, and stabilizing means extendin generally axially fromthe rear face of said disc-shaped body for maintaining the impact faceforemost in flight, said body having sufficient magnetic energy tosustain said projectile rigidly on said target when the impact facestrikes said target.

2. A projectile adapted to be freely propelled through the air at atarget of magnetically susceptible material, said projectile comprisinga permanently magnetized bodyhaving a relatively broad impact faceslotted to define symmetrically arranged relatively large flat areas ofopposite polarity and said body also having an axial opening, andstabilizing rudder means affixed in said opening and extending generallyrearwardly with respect to said impact face, said rudder means beingeffective to cause said flat impact face to be turned foremost duringflight irrespective of the direction in which it faces at the beginningof the flight of the projectile.

3. A projectile adapted to be freely propelled through the air at atarget of magnetically suss eptibie material, said projectile comprisinga permanently magnetized body having a relatively broad impact facehaving a slot defining symmetrically arranged relatively large flatareas of opposite polarity, and stabilizing rudder means secured at oneof its ends in said slot and extending generally rearwardly with respectto said impact face, said rudder means being effective to cause saidflat impact face to be turned foremost during flight irrespective of thedirection in which it faces at the beginning of the flight of theprojectile.

4. A scoring piece adapted to be freely propelled through the air at atarget having a substantially impenetrable playing surfaceofmagnetically susceptible material, said scoring piece comprising apermanently magnetized bidy having a blunt target-engaging and adheringface including spaced areas of opposite polarity lying in asubstantially common plane for making contact with and adhering to anyportion of said playing surface, and relatively light-weight ruddermeans attached to said body for stabilizing and guiding the scoringpiece and maintaining said spaced areas foremost during flight, saidrudder means extending generally rearwardly of said spaced areas, saidbody forming a sufficiently strong magnetic bond with a magneticallysusceptible material to maintain the scoring piece substantiallyperpendicular to a playing surface formed of said material against thepull of gravity.

5. A scoring piece adapted to be freely propelled through the air at atarget having a substantially impenetrable playing surface ofmagnetically susceptible material, said scoring piece comprising apermanently magnetized disc having a blunt target-engaging and adheringface including spaced areas of opposite polarity lyin in a substantiallycommon plane for making contact with and adhering to any portion of saidplaying surface, and relatively lightweight rudder means attached tosaid disc for stabilizing and guiding the scoring piece and maintainingsaid spaced areas foremost during flight, said rudder means extendinggenerally rearwardly of said spaced areas, said disc having a diametergreater than the thickness of the disc and forming a suf- .ficientlystrong magnetic bond with a magnetically susceptible material tomaintain the scoring piece substantially perpendicular to a playingsurface formed of said material against the pull of gravity.

6. In a game, a target having a substantially flat impenetrable verticalplaying surface of magnetically susceptible material, and a scoringpiece adapted to be freely projected through the air at said target,said scoring piece comprising a permanently magnetized body having ablunt target engaging and adhering face including spaced areas ofopposite polarity, lying in a substantially common plane for makingcontact with and adhering to any portion of said playing surface, andrelatively lightweight rudder means attached to said body forstabilizing and guiding the scoring piece and maintaining said spacedareas foremost during flight, said rudder means extending generallyrearwardly of said spaced areas, said body forming a sufflciently strongmagnetic bond with the magnetically susceptible material of said playingsurface to maintain the scoring piece substantially perpendicular tosaid playing surface againset the pull of gravity.

7. In a game, a target having a substantially flat impenetrable verticalplaying surface of magnetically susceptible material, and a scoringpiece adapted to be freely projected through the air at said target,said scoring piece comprising a permanently magnetized disc having ablunt targetengaging and adhering face including spaced areas ofopposite polarity lying in a substantially common plane for makingcontact with and adhering to any portion of said playing surface, andrelatively lightweight rudder means attached to said disc forstabilizing and guiding the scoring piece and maintaining said spacedareas foremost during flight, said rudder means extending generallyrearwardly of said spaced areas, said disc having a diameter greaterthan the thickness of the disc and forming a sufficiently strongmagnetic bond with the magnetically susceptible material of said playingsurface to maintain the scoring piece substantially perpendicular tosaid playing surface against the pull of gravity.

8. A game comprising a target having a playing surface including asubstantially flat area of magnetically susceptible material and aprojectile including a relatively thin generally disc-shaped permanentlymagnetized body having a forward impact face slotted to deflnesymmetrically arranged relatively large flat areas of opposite polarity,and stabilizing means extending generally axially from the rear face ofsaid disc-shaped body for maintaining the impact face foremost inflight, said body having sufiicient magnetic energy to sustain saidprojectile rigidly on said target when the impact face strikes saidtarget.

9. A game comprising a target having a playing surface including asubstantially'flat area of magnetically susceptible metal, and aprojectile including a permanently magnetized body having a relativelybroad impact face slotted to define symmetrically aranged flat areas ofopposite polarity, said body having an axial opening, and stabilizingrudder means affixed in said opening and extending generally rearwardlwith respect to said impact face, said rudder means being effective tocause said fiat impact face to be turned foremost during flightirrespective of the direction in which it faces at the beginning of theflight of the projectile, said body having sufficient magnetic energy tosustain said projectile rigidly on said target when the impact facestrikes said target.

10. A game comprising a target having a playing surface including asubstantially flat area of magnetically susceptible material and aprojectlle including a permanently magnetized body having a relativelybroad impact face having a slot defining symmetrically arrangedrelatively large flat areas of opposite polarity, and stabilizing ruddermeans secured at one of its ends in said slot and extending generallyrearwardly with respect to said impact face, said rudder means beingeffective ,to cause said flat impact face to be turned foremost duringflight irrespective of the direction in which it faces at the beginningof the flight of the projecitle, said body having sufficient magneticenergy to sustain said projectile rigidly on said target when the impactface strikes said target.

11. A projectile adapted to be freely propelled through the air at atarget having a flat playing surface of magnetically susceptiblematerial, said projectile comprising, a permanently magnetized bodyhaving a target engaging face including flat areas of opposite polaritylying in a substantially common plane, and flight-stabilizing meanssecured to said body and extending generally rearwardly with respect tosaid target engaging face .for maintaining said target engaging faceforemost during flight, said body having suflicient magnetic energy toform a sufficiently strong magnetic bond with a magnetically susceptiblematerial to maintain the projectile substantially perpendicular to aplaying surface formed of said material against the pull of gravity.

12. A game comprising a target having aplaying surface of magneticallysusceptible material and a projectile adapted to be freely propelledthrough the air at said target, said projectile comprising, apermanently magnetized body having a target engaging face including flatareas of opposite polarity lying in a substantially common plane, andflight-stabilizing means secured to said body and extending generallyrearwardly with respect to said target engaging face for maintainingsaid target engaging face foremost during flight, said body 'havingsufllcient magnetic energy to form a sufficiently strong magnetic bondwith the magnetically susceptible material in the target to maintain theprojectile substantially perpendicular to said playing surface againstthe pull of gravity.

HAROLD J. VOLMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenices are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS I Date

